Showing posts with label Chorito Hog Leg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chorito Hog Leg. Show all posts

Monday, April 28, 2008

John McCain: Wright Slurred 3rd Marines and Italians

























Pastor Wright's litany of hate extended beyond Italian Americans to the battle honored Third Marine Regiment - the 3rd Marines.

Full Disclosure - the focus of my recent novel The Chorito Hog Leg: A Novel of Guam in Time of War was the 3rd Marines and their magnificent assault of the cliffs over-looking the Asan Landing Beaches on Guam in July, 1944.

Pastor Wright retired to a mansion in Tinley park, IL and lecturing the NAACP yesterday and the National Press Club this morning was a Marine.

National Review's Jim Geraghty reported Wright's 'Crucifixion comments' that also offered an Unchristian slam on Italian Americans, but to sully the 3rd Marines who have won American battle honors at Bougainville, Guam, Iwo Jima, Vietnam, and Iraq is bizarre to say the least:
Wright describes Roman soldiers who mistreated Jesus as "Commandos.. trained in urban command and trained to kill on command... the Third Marine Regiment of Rome," and that Jesus was mistreated "as a prisoner of war."

He describes the Roman presence in Jerusalem as "Operation Israeli Freedom." (So in this America-as-Rome metaphor, is Abu Zarqawi Jesus?)

"It was the Italian Army that led Jesus to Calvary Friday morning."

Here is an all too brief battle history of America's Third Marine Regiment - 3rd Marines:



The 3d Marine Regiment first came into existence during the period of international unrest in the early twentieth century. The regiment was formed 20 December 1916, by consolidating Marine detachments from the various ships in the Atlantic Fleet then at anchor in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The early days of the regiment were highlighted by campaigns in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

During World War I, the regiment was heavily involved in the occupation and pacification of the Dominican Republic. As the Dominican crises subsided, the regiment’s role in the Republic also lessened.

Between wars, 3d Marines became a reserve unit stationed in San Francisco, eventually being disbanded in 1937.

The 3d Marine Regiment was reactivated on 16 June 1942, in North Carolina, as part of the World War II military expansion. The regiment fought and bled at Bougainville and Guam. Four medals of Honor were awarded to members of 3d Marines for actions during this period.



Following World War II, the regiment was ordered to China to aid in the disarming of Japanese units and to assist the Nationalist government in the occupation of Northern China in an effort to deny land to the communists.

The regiment did not participate in the United Nations defense of South Korea, but continued to actively train in Hawaii and Japan to remain combat ready.

3d Marines was quick to respond to the call for forces in Vietnam, providing security for the Da Nang Air Base in early 1965. The regiment’s experience level and ability to adapt led to many innovations including the Combined Action Company and the Civic Action Program. Ultimately, 3d Marines was to participate in 48 major operations in the Republic of Vietnam.

Following the retrograde of forces from Vietnam, the regiment was initially relocated to Camp Pendleton and assigned to the 5th Marine Amphibious Brigade. During April of 1971, the regiment became part of the 1st Marine Division. Two months later, the regiment was moved to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, to assume the role of the ground combat component of the 1st Marine Brigade.

The 3d Marine Regiment was one of the first combat forces to deploy to Saudi Arabia in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990. The regiment, which became known as task Force Taro in honor of the state and people of Hawaii, became the first American unit to be engaged by Iraqi artillery, rocket and missile fire on 18 January 1991. Task Force Taro countered the Iraqi supporting attacks by conducting artillery raids into Kuwait as the first ground offensive actions of the war. Task force Taro was instrumental in the recapture of Khafji, was the first unit to advance into Kuwait, conducted the only helicopter borne assault of the war and secured the Marine Corp’s final objective of the war, Kuwait International Airport.

Following the cease-fire on 28 February 1991, the regiment redeployed to Saudi Arabia and subsequently completed its strategic redeployment to Hawaii two months later.

Effective 1 October 1994, the 1st Marine Brigade was deactivated and 3d Marine Division became the regiment’s higher headquarters.


http://www.mcbh.usmc.mil/3mar/History.htm

Senator John McCain slammed Wrights insults of this elite regiment.

Pastor Wright sure seems certifiable - well, maybe not to Bill Moyers

Click my post title for Geraghty's article in National Review.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Chorito Hog Leg - For Last Minute Christmas Giving




I wrote a swell historical novel. Here are three reviews from Amazon Dot Com. If you are looking for a book to give that special someone this Holiday Season give this eye and brain candy a whirl. It is a veritable stocking stuffer of historical WWII, Illinois and Chicago lore. The Lovely Allison Platt of the Bookies Paperbacks and More has a great stock at

The Bookies
2419 W. 103rd Street
Chicago Illinois 60655
Ph#773-239-1110



The Chorito Hog Leg, Book One: A Novel of Guam in Time of War is available at Borders, Barnes and Noble, Target and on the Web through Amazon or directly from Author House. Here are the links:


http://www.amazon.com/Chorito-Hog-Leg-Book-Novel/dp/1434302024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197635411&sr=1-1
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781434302021&itm=1
http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail~bookid~44494.aspx

Here's three reviews East Coast, West Coast and right here in Chicago:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Outstanding novel of Guam in World War Two, June 27, 2007
By Ironmike (California)

Mr Hickey has written a splendid novel dealing with Guam, it's inhabitants, the brutal Japanese garrison and the Marines that will land and take the island.
Some very intense combat sequences, plenty of colorful dialog and down right funny one liners from gruff old Marines that will get you grinnin' if you have ever been in the service.
Well worth reading and the sequel is due up later in 2007.
The meaning of the book's title will be revealed as you read as Pat Hickey weaves a compelling web of characters, the tale of the 1860 Colt revolver, its previous owners, the Japanese and the Marines who risk their lives in 1944. Brutal, honest and well-researched.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
US Marine Corps Band of Brothers, April 23, 2007
By Old Geezer "Old Geezer" (New Haven, CT USA)

Riveting portrayal of WWII Pacific combat operations. Excellent character development, based upon interviews with veterans of the invasion of Guam. Ultra realistic combat scenes immerse the reader in the random violence of war. The best novel I have enjoyed since Cold Mountain. Can't wait for Book 2. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
A Chicago artist's tribute to the "Corps" / WWII, May 8, 2007
By Cheryl A. Tully "Martin J. Tully" (Chicago, Il.)


It is undeniable that Pat Hickey is a South Side of Chicago writer. His recollections from the old Gresham neighborhood read like a side story throughout this captivating tale of days when men were men.

Hickey's penchant for names and facts from Chicago's history during a time of war are also vivid and, to this reader, allow time to reflect on some of the "good times" spent as a youngster growing up in the neighborhood.

The author warns early on in the "About the Author" section (see back inside page) that his style employs the "intrusive narrator" technique.
I believe he carries it out beautifully and to be honest should have used it more freely. It was a refreshing connection with the reader.

I was most impressed by the seemingly meticulous research Hickey put into his work. The decriptions of planes, both Japanese as well as American, naval vessels, armaments, and "vocabulary" were extremely well done.

Without giving the plot line away, if you are a Marine, Navy, or a general WWII buff... If you enjoy the "Grunt" point of view in armed conflict...and if you enjoy the days when a man's word was gospel. This is a book to enjoy.

I am looking forward to the second book of this set.

Martin Tully
USSF Ret.



Have a Very Merry Holiday Season and a Happy New Year! The Gratuitous Santa and Baby Photo comes courtesy of Connecticuts Arch Patriot and Christain Gentleman - Frank Nofsinger! Que Hombre! Felis Navidad, Pancho!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Spike O'Donnell - Life with Father from The Chorito Hog-Leg












33. Life with Father

Edward J. Spike O’Donnell had been home from a prolonged stay at Little Company of Mary Hospital for a little less than two weeks after the return of infection from the gunshot wound and had gotten out to exercise only a few times because his wife Elizabeth, a tough and beautiful girl from a Bohemian Parish in New City had crabbed him into a willingness to avoid risk. Peace in the house meant that Spike should not provoke the peace on the street by taking his usual constitutional up to 79th Street and drinking coffee at the White Castle Hamburger stand on Loomis with all the neighborhood intellectuals, like Buck Weaver and Jack Duffy.
Instead Spike enjoyed his Stewart’s Brand coffee from Elizabeth’s percolator along with sweet-rolls from Huffkin’s Bakery on Halsted that Morry Lanigan brought for him every morning. Morry was a tuck-pointer who had gotten into a jam with cops back in 1939 after a bar fight at a Mick bucket of blood on Halsted. Spike went to bat for the guy who was not a drinker but whose wife had died of cancer at Englewood Hospital the day before he took a swing at an off-duty cop with a smart mouth.
Spike still had some juice – he had a lot of juice if truth be told – and Spike made good on a good man with three little girls. Lanigan buried his wife out of St. Anne’s Church on 55th Street and later moved the girls to an apartment owned by Spike’s brother in law at 78th and Hermitage. Lanigan went to work for the County as an in-house tuck-pointer at the Aude Home.
Spike dunked an apricot filled sweet roll into his hot cup of Stewart’s and opened the Herald American he went directly to the funnies and checked up on the progress of Maggie and Jigs who had recently been informed that their son Ethelbert (Sonny) had been declared a 4-F because of his flat feet and Jiggs lamented that ‘no son of his would be a copper!’ Spike always got a kick out of Bringing Up Father that was identified by everyone as Maggie and Jiggs. Then he checked the box scores for the White Sox Roy Schalk was still hitting up a storm but had batted into double plays against Detroit three times yesterday and that goof Jimmy Dykes started Ed Lopat, a southpaw, instead of Orval Grove. Guy must have had a snoot full when he made out the damn card.
Finally, to the news of the day. Marines land at Guam – Tim. God watch him.


Click Title Post to Amazon Link and Reviews of this novel.